Film Review: Oblivion

You probably think you have a good idea about how Oblivion is going to go, or at least a good idea about the basic premise. Chances are, you don’t even know that much.

I know by titling this write-up as a film review I am leading the reader to certain expectations, but instead bear with me because I am mostly just going to plea Oblivion’s case to prepare you for what is to come. If that isn’t good enough, then Monday Zac and I will be doing a co-write up breaking down the film. So please come back then because I know I would love to hear what everyone has to say about Tom Cruise’s newest futuristic, sci-fi adventure.

The film takes place on a post apocalyptic world in which Cruise and Andrea Riseborough remain in their shiny, white sci-fi home to take care of the desolate land below. Each day, Cruise’s Jack acts as maintenance man to the drones scouring the land, protecting what is safe. Oh, and Morgan Freeman and Olga Kurylenko play into Jack’s story too, which is all I am going to say about that since the trailer was at least willing to show you that much.

Even for a planet that has clearly been through a lot, the environments are a beautiful thing to behold on the IMAX screen, and I cannot point out any blemishes in the visual effects in terms of landscapes and sets, props, etc. Not that this should be surprising coming from the man who also directed Tron:Legacy. Cruise is as good as ever, even though I’d actually take my hat off to Riseborough if I actually wore one, but the thing that will keep you enthralled in the story is just trying to figure out where the heck it is taking us.

Basically the one way I would explain Oblivion is to say that not everything is as it seems. Because of this, I will advise you to leave your expectations at the door, and let the story take you where it wants to go. Don’t struggle with it, losing yourself to figuring out the twists or poking holes in the story with a plethora of questions, but just ride the film out to the end. Be patient with it, and don’t panic when the reveals start happening. It will feel like it’s diving off the deep end as your brain is swarmed with uncomfortable confusion, but once you can accept this you can start enjoying it once more.

Yes, that is the entirety of this write up. So just remember, stop assuming you know where the film is going to go based on your previous experiences with the genre, and just take Oblivion in while it is happening. And then come back here Monday!